Just got this out of real gm ... I mean okay he had some off games after his 33 point game but is it really that much to just garbage him at the bench in a doghouse? I like DAntoni alot..but yesterday HE COULD HAD GIVEN HIM AT LEAST 5 MINUTES OF PLAYING TIME!!!!!

Antawn Jamison has fallen out of Mike D'Antoni's rotation in the Los Angeles Lakers' frontcourt.Jamison hasn't played since Dec. 16 against the 76ers, which was the last game before Pau Gasol returned."It doesn't make sense at all," said Jamison. "They're pretty much telling me my services are no longer needed."

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

If Hill or Pau are dealing with injury he's the guy that will come in and is capable.

And both have been so he is very much needed.

You're aware if you trade away Jamison then you'll have to go with Sacre or Clark for your size if anything happens to Hill or Pau right?

Think about it.

Jamison's not going anywhere before Duhon,Clark or Ebanks is. He is of too much importance to our team not just in foul/injury aspect, but because of his contract and the fact he "can" get 20. As inconsistent as it may be, he's head and shoulders above everyone on the bench not named Metta, Meeks or Hill.

D'antoni didn't play him in garbage time because he's "too great of a player" for Garbage time. The guys that we saw for the last 5-6 minutes or so of the game like Clark, Ebanks Duhon(when Blake returns) are the guys that Mitch would try to get rid of before letting Jamison go.

Jamison doesn't go anywhere unless we got a PRODUCTIVE big for him, because he's our backup if Hill or Gasol have to miss time due to injury and he's the best option on our bench for either of them. And against other stretch 4s(ones that would keep Hill out of the paint) Jamison may get some time against them. But against power forwards that attack on the inside and put the ball down etc, Hill will be guarding them. You'll see Jamison on the likes of Nowitski and Anderson, but against the Likes of Lamarcus Aldridge or Kenneth Faried. And understandably so.

D'antoni has said he's trying to prioritize matchups "defensively" first.

So when it makes sense and another team has a forward you can match Jamison up against better than Hill. Jamison will get his playing time.

D'antoni just made the decision that he'd rather Hill fight for rebounds with Faried and defend Lamarcus Aldridge over Jamison and if you think about it you'll probably agree.

So tell me against Kenneth Faried, and Lamarcus Aldridge, when you need to have a bench player defending them, who would you rather choose. Hill, or Jamison?

Hill because he fights for rebounds and can play the paint right?

Now look at a forward like Nowitski or Ryan Anderson. Do you put Hill on them? No... why? Because they take Hill out of the paint cause they are stretch 4s.... so it negates the advantages of having Hill out there. So Jamison matches up better against them, why?

Because he's a stretch 4, and they aren't gonna look to take him to the rack or put it on the floor against him exploiting his poor defense AND they play the same distance away from the basket.

Jordan Hill will be matched up against Forwards that play the post and fight for rebounds. Antawn Jamison will be matched against fours that stretch the floor and won't put it on the ground against him.

Well I don't know if Jamison can be a defensive force, but he can definitely get hot and score some baskets.

That's why D'antoni is likely to match him up against other stretch 4s that won't take him to the basket or fight him for rebounds under it.

You don't put Hill on a stretch 4 because then you negate his advantage of ripping down rebounds.You put Hill on a post player or an inside presence he can fight for rebounds.

You put Jamison on stretch 4s because they won't put it on the floor and because they'll be looking to spot up and Jamison can fight them at their distance because of his long range shot in addition to his cutting ability he can make them move their feet.

So it makes sense that Hill would defend the likes of Faried and Aldridge or other post 4s.

And Jamison would defend the likes of Ryan Anderson and Dirk Nowitski(now) most likely or other stretch 4s..

Will Antawn Jamison ever crack the Lakers rotation again? Mike D'Antoni addressed it today at shootaround ..."Probably," D'Antoni said, simply, when asked if Jamison would get a chance to cut his DNP-CD streak anytime in the near future. "Everybody gets another chance. We’re playing nine guys and I’m really liking Metta (World Peace) going and making us small. I like that. We don’t want to lose Antawn because he does what he does, but Darius (Morris), I want to keep developing him. His defense, his energy, his stuff of that sort. But, we’ll see. Antawn is ready to roll if we need him."

In so many words, D'Antoni is choosing the defense of Morris, World Peace, Jordan Hill and Jodie Meeks as back-ups in the SG, SF and PF roles over any offense Jamison would bring.

Jamison is averaging 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds on the season and once had a stretch of scoring double digits in six out of seven games (including a 33-point explosion in a 19-point win over Denver) but hasn't played a minute in the Lakers' last four games.

"I’m sure he wants to play, as does any player wants to play, but he’s great," D'Antoni said. "He’s a professional and he knows his chance will come around."

The reality is Pau is the X Factor. Pau is a center playing the 4 because of D12. At 19 Million per year he has to play and play alot. Jamison was a SF in his day but his foot speed says PF now. Until the Lakers make up their mind about Pau and MWP, minutes will be hard to find for Jamison. JHills production for the money he's making is very valuable also. So, in other words "this ISH is a mess right now" and it's going to take time and the trade deadline passing before players become comfortable again.

I wish players would stop talking to the press when they are not getting playing time. AJ got his chance to prove himself as a regular rotation player and did not produce. If AJ is not scoring he has no other value because he cannot defend. AJ has had a great career but at 36 yrs. old he is not going to get many more chances.
I would still like the Lakers to add speed and athleticism to this team, I Idon't believe they can compete for a championship without it.

NEARLY ALL MEN CAN STAND ADVERISTY, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TEST A MAN'S CHARACTER, GIVE HIM POWER.
Abraham Lincoln

thought we got this guy for his locker room prescence,,,,and now hes a poison leaking his emotions to the media(on multiple occasions)...hahahhahahahah!
trade this fool already for a player at a position where services are needed!
he had a really good season last year, and his stats arent horrible this year. his value isnt too low. the bobcats want him,btw